Comet ISON would have been the best gift of all, had it survived

The celebratory game ball commemorating the Annual Fellman Family Gridiron Classic has been put away for the year. (OK, the Naturalist, who did honor to seniors everywhere by throwing two pinpoint touchdown passes and running for another—but don’t fret, Tom Brady... well, don’t fret much—did, in fact, hug said pigskin in bed for one night before actually stowing the trophy.) The last Hanukkah candles have been lit and the menorah is ready to go back into storage. The assembled multitudes, all 18 members of my family, are safely back home, and my granddaughter’s “big girl” bed is sadly empty. And because of the almost unprecedented late arrival of the combined Thanksgivukkah festivities, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and all eight gift-giving shopping opportunities for the Festival of Lights are history.